Los Angeles Department of Water & Power crews fully restored power to widespread area of the San Fernando Valley this past weekend, after an explosion and fire at a receiving station left at least 140,000 customers without electricity.
The blast was reported about 6:53 p.m. Saturday in a high-voltage area at the utility's Receiving Station J, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The fire affected one portion of the Receiving Station, but as an emergency precautionary measure, power to and from the facility was shut off while LAFD personnel worked to put the fire out.
According to a report from ABC 7 News, massive flames and a thick column of black smoke rose above the facility as the fire burned in an energized storage vault containing up to 60,000 gallons of mineral oil, which is used as a cooling agent for high-voltage equipment.
LADWP crews worked through the night to clear multiple damaged conductors, circuit breakers and transformers and had successfully restored power by Sunday morning to all customers affected by the power outage. "We thank our customers for their patience as crews worked through the night to restore service. While efforts to make permanent repairs are the primary focus of all involved, a full investigation into the cause of the fire that occurred Saturday evening will also be conducted and reported publicly," LADWP said in a statement.
